


A Family of Minds

by Just_Call_Me_Charles



Series: The collective existence of us [1]
Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-28
Updated: 2017-02-28
Packaged: 2018-09-27 09:39:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 706
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9999656
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Just_Call_Me_Charles/pseuds/Just_Call_Me_Charles
Summary: A character study of the BAU.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Sorry if this is crap. It's been a while since I've written anything, and this is more of a stream of consciousness than anything else. Speaking of writing, tell me of y'all have any suggestions for story lines. I need inspiration for new stories.

There is a reason why they are good at their jobs. 

There is a reason why JJ knows the signs of suicide so well. Better than any book, pamphlet, or guide that Reid could memorize. She knows the behaviors of a suicidal teen, and she knows the behaviors of those left behind. 

There is a reason why Morgan can spot signs of sexual abuse so well in children, especially boys. He knows the eyes of a predator, and he knows the mind of the victim. He knows the manipulation so, the vulnerability, the pain. 

There is a reason why Prentiss knows the signs of social isolation and distant parents. She knows the pain of coming home to an empty house. She knows the frustrations of making friends only to move soon after, to a new state, a new country. Eventually she stops trying, and that is how she understands the feelings of abandonment. 

There is a reason why Hotch can spot child abuse so quickly. There is a reason why it was so easy to belittle Reid in the face of Dowd. A reason why he knew where to kick to avoid the most pain but still look believable. There is a reason why he can recognize the signs of abuse in both the child and the adult, not unlike Morgan. 

There is a reason why Reid can recognize the signs of mental illness in a family. He knows what the child will feel, and he has seen the effects, close up. He also knows the signs of addictions. This knowledge has not always been with him, but now that it is it will never go away. 

There is a reason that Rossi can see the signs of weariness and fatigue in his fellow officers. He knows the ache of unsolved cases better than the rest on the team. He has sifted through decades of cases, and his mental capacity for the horrible images is matched only by Reid. 

These are the things that pull the team together. These are the things that make them the best in the bureau. But these are not the only things that help them. The bonds between them help them as well. 

Hotch is undeniably the father. In addition to his role as literal head of the group, he is also the symbolic head. He is ever the image of gravity. He keeps them together. He and Rossi watch out for the rest, especially the younger ones. He is protective of them to a point of sacrifice, and he is constantly pushing himself to the limit in order to keep the team together. 

Rossi is the uncle. He is responsible and seriousness, but he never fails to bring some levity to the situation. (Penelope is the aunt. She's a little crazy, but she always is armed with witty jokes. The team turns to her when they need a smile.)

Morgan is the big brother. He watches out for JJ and Reid, and is not afraid to mouth off to hotch if the time calls for it. He helps Reid through the images that won't leave his head, and is the first to defend him, verbally or physically. 

Prentiss is the older sister, the match to Morgan. She is the picture of grace, but is not so serious as to be an authority to the others. She is caring and soft, but not permanent. 

JJ is the younger sister. She matches Reid's energy, but is slightly more mature. She has a motherly feel as well, but not so much as Emily.

Reid--well, Reid is the baby. He's so young, and not just chronologically. His whole aura is one of innocence. Not even his astounding intellect can take away his childlike quirks. If the rest are protectors, he is the protected. That's not to say that he is helpless. He is as strong as the rest of them in terms of will, if not in muscle. He is willing to put the others before himself, but not to the point where he becomes a burden. He is the purest, but yet the most tainted. He has suffered through much during his years, and he will never forget a minute of it.


End file.
